Plastic Production Using CO2: A Solution for Sustainable and Recyclable Plastics

KOMPAS.com – Plastics as an integral part of modern life have made a major contribution to industrial progress and everyday comfort.

However, the worrying fact is that most plastics are difficult to recycle.

Also read: You need to be careful, recycled plastic contains toxic chemicals

Plastic is difficult to recycle because it is formed from long carbon chains that require large amounts of energy to decompose, making the process of decomposing plastic by bacteria very slow.

The problem of plastic waste has become a serious threat to the environment, triggering an urgent need to find innovative solutions.

In this context, scientists have broken new ground by creating plastic using carbon dioxide (CO2), providing new hope for more sustainable plastic production.

This plastic is durable and easy to recycle

Reporting from Science Daily edition (13/11/2023), research published in Journal of American Chemistry Society (JACS) has developed a polyurethane production technique using CO2 to make a new type of plastic that is easily recycled.

This unique approach uses society’s primary waste CO2, as a raw material to produce the monomers needed to manufacture these products.

Thomas Habets, lead author of the study, explains that the monomer structure can be easily changed allowing the creation of plastics with a wide range of properties.

This plastic has a three-dimensional network-like structure that is different from the long chains of conventional plastic, making it more durable.

Although thermosets are difficult to recycle these polyurethanes have dynamic chemical bonds, which may be easily re-formed through chemical bond exchange under mild conditions.

Also read: Good news, a substitute for BPA in plastic has been found

The main advantage of this technology is its ability to vary plastic properties and multiple recycling options.

These plastics can be recycled by reforming through heating, mixed to create hybrids with new properties, or broken down into monomers for the removal of additives.

This marks the first step in converting CO2 waste into a chemical resource, unlocking the potential of a future CO2 valorization industry.

Christophe Detrembleur, a chemist at the University of Liege, appreciates the capabilities of this material and sees the potential of this technology as a solution for the development of sustainable plastics with various everyday applications.

Products that use carbon dioxide (CO2) are nothing new, such as making soda and dry ice.

However, recently attention has turned to manufacturing products containing CO2 as a strategy to reduce the impact of climate change.

The use of CO2 to make plastic is also growing as a solution to overcome the climate change and plastic pollution crises.

Conventional plastics are made from fossil fuels and cause large emissions of greenhouse gases.

Also read: Scientists create stronger, more elastic and environmentally friendly plastic

By making plastic from CO2, it is hoped that we can reduce the carbon impact of the plastic life cycle.

However, the main challenges are extracting CO2 from the atmosphere, reducing energy use, and creating plastic that is durable or biodegradable.

Although difficult, making plastic from CO2 could be a step towards a more environmentally friendly solution.

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2023-11-17 01:00:00
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